Why schools need participatory design: Perspectives from an educational organization’s administrative team
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33910/2687-0223-2025-7-2-100-108Keywords:
atmosphere of trust, welcoming school environment, participatory design, participatory practices, school imageAbstract
In recent years, participatory design with adolescents has gained increasing popularity due to its positive impact on fostering agency, developing creative potential, communication skills, critical thinking, and teamwork abilities. Nevertheless, such practices remain relatively uncommon in educational institutions. This is largely because decisions to implement such projects are typically made by school leaders, who are not always aware of the possibilities and outcomes of applying participatory design methods.
To identify the factors motivating school administrative teams to implement participatory design practices in educational organizations, we conducted interviews with administrators from eight schools. These schools had previously carried out projects to transform school spaces with the involvement of adolescents.
The analysis of the interviews revealed the effects of participatory practices. School administrations see significant benefits both for students and for school development — including enhanced school reputation, a reduction in conflicts, the creation of an atmosphere of trust, and increased parental involvement in school life. Participatory design facilitates a space for dialogue where the opinions of all participants are valued and taken into account.
The article describes the challenges school leaders face when implementing participatory projects, such as insufficient funding, organizational and operational issues, and difficulties in engaging teaching staff. The article provides recommendations on how to overcome these obstacles and effectively integrate participatory practices in schools.
References
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